Whether you live in a humid area or not, when the humidity number goes up, you’re likely going to be miserable. If you’re used to leaving Your AC off and opening up windows instead, you may wonder if this is an effective thing to do once the humidity gets high.
Will Opening the Windows Reduce Humidity?
The short answer is, yes it does in most circumstances. But there is a catch. If the humidity level is higher outside than it is inside, this trick likely won’t work. If the humidity level inside of your home is higher, it will work much better. If you purchase a hygrometer you’ll be able to keep track of the humidity level both inside and outside of your home.
The inside of your home will naturally become less humid when the outside humidity is lower. This is because the fresh air from outside will flow through the window into your home, and if the humidity is low outside it will push the low-humidity air inside and make that air less humid as well. If it is more humid outside than inside, the air from outside will make the inside air more humid too.
For these reasons, it’s best to leave your windows closed and use your AC if the humidity level outside is higher than it is inside of your home. If you’re concerned about having too much humidity inside of your home because the AC is running, you should go ahead and buy yourself a dehumidifier for the inside of your home.
A Humid Home Is an Uncomfortable Home
High humidity levels are never fun, but can you lower the humidity level inside of your home when it’s also super humid outside? Yes, you can. Of course, how much you’ll be able to lower that number is anyone’s guess, but since high humidity outside will cause the inside of your home to be humid as well when your windows are open, you have to look for other ways to bring down the humidity level inside of your home.
So, if you’re not able to open your windows because of the high humidity level outside and you don’t own a dehumidifier, what should you do? For starters, here are a few things that can reduce the humidity level inside of your home when it’s humid outside and you have no dehumidifier:
- During the hottest part of the day, avoid taking showers because this can spread the humidity from the bathroom to other rooms in your home quickly. You can also take cooler showers, which will have the same effect, although many people consider this uncomfortable.
- If you have leaky pipes, make sure they are repaired immediately so that humidity from outside won’t creep to the inside of your home.
- If you have to cook, make sure you use the exhaust fan.
- Keep your gutters clean and the downspout directed away from your home. This prevents water leaks into your home that can cause the humidity level to rise.
- Make sure the AC filters in your home are replaced regularly – once a month is recommended – and make sure you replace them with the right type of filter.
- Place bowls filled with baking soda, charcoal, rock salt, or detergent in several rooms in the home to absorb moisture in the air. Make sure you change them every two to three days and replace them with fresh ingredients.
- Remove plants from the inside of your home, since plants usually release moisture into the air.
- Run standalone fans in as many rooms as possible so the air circulates better.
- Try to dry your laundry outside instead of using your dryer.
The key is to stay away from activities that will put more moisture in the air and increase the number of activities that reduce that moisture. Once again, a good hygrometer will allow you to see for yourself what the humidity level is in your home, and most people consider humidity levels of 40% or less to be the most comfortable.
Avoid Damp, Rot, and Other Negative Effects
If you notice things such as dark or damp spots on ceilings and walls, decaying wood, or mold growing anywhere, it is probably because the humidity inside your home is too high. Fortunately, opening your windows can reduce this humidity if the humidity outside is lower, and there are plenty of other things you can do inside your home.
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